There is a place of serenity, tranquillity, stillness, and an infinite supply of knowledge; that place is a library, which is stunning in all of its forms.
However, such places(libraries) are few and some people, especially rural students, seeking to expand their knowledge on a couple of subjects do not have enough access to them.
This Monday, as the EdTech Monday program airs on KT Radio, guests will focus on how to establish a digital library system in the country, especially for unserved rural students.
The development aims to promote creation and sharing of Open Educational Resources, also known as OER. The upcoming EdTech Monday program will be the May, 2024 episode, and will be held on Monday 27.
EdTech Monday is a joint program of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT and the Rwanda ICT Chamber. The show is about using technology to improve education and learning in Rwanda.
Themed “To establish a robust digital library system and promote the creation and sharing of Open Educational Resources (OER),” the program will discuss ways on how to extend libraries to students in the country.
So far, the suggested form of library is an online library, where students access reading materials and books on internet. As usual, the show will air in Kinyarwanda on KTRadio and will be live streamed on Kigali Today’s YouTube account from 6 to 7 p.m.
The panelists are Espoir Serukiza, Chief Operations Officer of STEMpower INC, Francine Uwera Havugimana, Program Specialist of Coderina Ed-Tech and Joseph Mugisha, Regional Manager of ICDL Africa. They will be hosted by Ines Nyinawumuntu-KT Radio’s presenter.
According to the Mastercard foundation, a study conducted by the Rwanda Education Board (REB) shows that over 40% of schools lack adequate library facilities, hindering students’ ability to engage in self-directed learning and research.
“Digital libraries mitigate this issue by enabling access to a vast collection of books, journals, and multimedia resources from anywhere with an internet connection,” the EdTech program guide from Mastercard Foundation reads.
“Moreover, with the integration of advanced search functionalities and personalized recommendations, students can efficiently locate relevant materials, thereby improving their academic performance and research capabilities.”
The EdTech program guide indicates that the talk-show will tackle various topics including how digital libraries can enhance educational outcomes in Rwanda, particularly in underserved or rural areas where access to physical libraries is limited, and key benefits of OER for students and educators in Rwanda, and how can their adoption be accelerated across the educational system.
Other planned topics are how the government, private sector, and international organizations collaborate to support the creation and sharing of high-quality OER in Rwanda, and how digital libraries and OER can be tailored to address the specific needs and cultural contexts of Rwandan students to make learning more relevant and engaging, among others.
